The Dream of Reality
by MidnightxShades
Summary: What might've happened after the boys got off the island.


**The Dream of Reality**

Ralph gazed absently at the fading island. Everyone was being rescued, saved, being sent back home, yet he could not feel anything but a dull numbness that seemed to cloud all other emotions. Somehow, it felt wrong and unreal to be on the boat sailing towards home where he could be cleansed and perhaps get a much-needed haircut. Random thoughts occupied his mind, making him deaf to everything but his own world. Who were these people? How did the war go? Where was his dad? He saw Jack growling inaudible curses to an anonymous entity. When did Jack and his 'tribe' get here? He ignored the fact Piggy and Simon were not there.

He could not see the island anymore. The officers came at a good time, interfering with the oncoming assault that would have killed him. He wondered if the officer knew about what had really happened on the island. He had stayed quiet while the boys were herded onto the boat, and Jack and his hunters would not say anything. Samneric might have said something by now, though he wondered if they could retell the story without stopping. On the island, time was too fast, and the days went by swiftly making impossible to do anything productive. Now it felt like time was standing still, the waves moving in a repetitive rhythm that seemed to support this false theory. Ralph sighed, and closed his eyes, unsure of why the sensation of dread was growing rather than waning, as it should have. He closed his eyes, foolishly praying that when he opened them he would be home, in bed and his mother would be telling him to wake up.

The soft blow of the wind felt too harsh against his face.

Jack was thinking. He thought about how his parents would react to the entire ordeal. He could tell them an incomplete truth. The littleuns' were not of any concern. All they talked about was how they played all day and the great 'beastie' that terrified them all. Only Samneric and Ralph would think about exposing the uglier parts of the truth, and he was sure they would. The deaths of Piggy and Simon were explained as an accident, and that the two had lost their footing along a cliff. Jack sighed. What would happen to him? Maybe he should have stayed on the island where he had a tribe, meat, complete freedom, and other great things. He felt annoyance at the current circumstances. Why had he left at all? A myriad of feelings surrounded him. The most prominent ones were Anger, hate, and frustration. Thoughtless words slipped from his mouth.

"I am chief."

Jack blinked, surprised by his own statement. Moments later here wore a humorless grin on his lips, pronounced by a sinister look in his eyes. He repeated his words slowly with more confidence in his tone.

"I am chief."

His only reply was the faint cry of the sea gulls that flew above him.

**England**

The loud port was full of worried mothers and consoling fathers. The continuous yells of their children's names poured from their mouths. There were answering cries and tears stained the faces of both children and parents alike. Ralph searched the crowd, looking for his own parents. It felt awkward to be here, it was too gray, and there was too much cement and, there was not enough green. He gave up looking for his parents and sighed, preparing to get off the boat with the other boys. Bright blue eyes and blond hair suddenly filled his vision as soon as he got off. Tears and promises of comfort and warmth breached his ears, and it was only when he reached a tall house that he recognized his mother and home.

The courthouse was intimidating. Ralph was not sure why they were there. Some of the other boys were shuffling around nervously. He wanted to do the same. Strangely, Jack was at ease about the forthcoming event. Apparently, the littleuns had been deemed as an unreliable source of information, and as a result were exempted from the meeting. Samneric were together, speaking in low tones and glancing at the other boys before turning their gaze away quickly. The judge's loud voice cut through the tense atmosphere, calling for the Jack to tell his account of the story.

Jack's story had some truth in it, though he did not include Simon and Piggy's deaths. The other boys' stories were similar, fabricated tales of the hardships of living on a deserted island, playing the part of adults for the younger ones, and other such things. Samneric were supposed to go next, and they seemed hesitant to do so. Sam started slowly, stuttering about the beastie before trailing off. Eric took this as his cue to speak and began to finish his sentence, swiftly turning the subject away from the sensitive topic. By the time they got to the part where Jack and his tribe had their feast, they words were incomprehensible, understood by only themselves before they settled on one conclusion. "We left early," they explained together. They concluded their testimonies soon after.

Ralph had been called last. His mind was a turbulent storm of questions. He speculated what would happen if he told the judge about Jack's inhumane acts, or about the actuality of Piggy and Simon's demises. He wondered if they would believe him at all. Ralph bowed his head and shut his eyelids briefly before looking at the other occupants of the room. He saw the anxious looks on the boys' faces, Samneric's restless behavior, and Jack's unwavering stare on him, his eyes filled with slight mirth and an indescribable feeling that sent a sensation of coldness through Ralph's body. He turned to the expectant gaze of the judge, not knowing what to say. An answer to the problem came to him suddenly, and his voice sounded strange to his own ears, as he uttered a single lie.

"I haven't got anything left to say."

Outside the rain poured down and the sea roared in indignation.


End file.
